Norfolk Library and Information Service's Reading Friends at Home project has been arranging one-to-one and group phone calls during the pandemic.

Diana, 62, is passionate about poetry and has loved music all her life.  She lives alone in a studio flat and is housebound, and can’t have visitors apart from medics.  She reads and discusses poetry and other literature with individuals by phone and with groups on zoom, and finds that sharing poems is a great way to “escape for a while” from her situation.  These sharing sessions provide stimulation, education and fun and help keep like-minded people connected to each other, reducing feelings of isolation and increasing wellbeing.

Diana has been involved in Reading Friends since August 2021, reading and sharing poetry on weekly phone calls with Judith, a Library and Information Assistant and also a poet. Inspired by sharing poems with others, she wrote her own to lift our spirits and share the benefits of poetry for wellbeing!

The sadness and madness of the world can make us feel so low,
But I know of a special way to restore a cheerful glow.
Why not share a poem with a friend, break free from life's negative vibe,
Immerse yourself in poetry, it's something a doctor should prescribe!
Any mood of verse can be found - there's dramatic poems and sad ones,
Writing which makes you think, and some jokes and puns.
So much to choose from - any subject, any style
Helping us to escape from bad news, think about something else for a while.
As we read and share poetic works, our minds we are freeing,
And by discovering all kinds of poetry, we can enhance our well-being.

 

Get involved

Find out more about Reading Friends in Norfolk or find Reading Friends near you.